Final peace agreement very close, Darfur has started to enjoy security : Al-Beshir
KHARTOUM, April 5, 2004 (Sudan Tribune) — The Sudanese president, Hassan Al-Beshir has opened the 7th session of the Sudanese National Assembly. In a half-hour speech he touched on many national and international issues, subheadings inserted editorially.
Support for Iraq
On the situation in Iraq, al-Beshir said: “It is now one year since the alliance force occupied Iraq. We stand firm in our support for our brothers in Iraq and the restoration of their sovereignty as soon as possible, without delay or procrastinations in reviving the legitimacy of fraternal Iraq.”
Killing of Hamas leader an “abominable crime”
Al-Beshir condemned the killing of Hamas leader Ahmad Yasin saying: “The whole world witnessed the barbaric crime which was committed by the inimical government of Israel which led to the martyrdom of the virtuous elderly nationalist [Arabic: Mujahid], Shaykh Ahmad Yasin – one of the symbols of the Palestinian cause, leader and founder of the Hamas Movement – and a group of his supporters.
“We have condemned this abominable crime and the previous activities of what is known as the unilateral disengagement plan. We call upon the whole world to adopt a decisive stand against the Israeli tyranny and terrorism, and to compel Israel to return to the negotiating table on the basis of the road map.
“All this has made the holding of the Arab summit an essential and crucial issue, especially since there are proposals being made on reforming the ‘Greater Middle East’, an issue which requires the initiative to be in the hands of the Arabs not others.
“As you have been following the circumstances surrounding the failure of holding this summit, I do not want to go into details. I hope the wise gesture by Egypt will be responded to and will close the gap which has been created by the failure to hold the summit. We are for the holding of the summit as soon as possible, and the question of which country will host the summit will not be an obstacle.”
Relations with Egypt
On relations with Egypt, President Al-Beshir said: “You have been following my visit to Egypt, which was in preparation for the holding of this Arab summit. I hope a number of small summits will be held in which different opinions will be discussed, and in which we will strive to arrive at an accord concerning issues of the destiny and future of our Arab nation.
“In this regard, I have the pleasure, concerning our relations with Egypt, to announce that the wise and healthy partnership yesterday resulted in the signing of an agreement on the four freedoms which will promote this relationship towards true joint integration.
“Our relations and negotiations have extended to the fraternal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Arab countries. In this framework, the Hashimite king of Jordan, His Eminence King Abdallah Bin-Husayn, will visit us today , to further strengthen the relations between the two countries.”
Sudanese peace talks – signing of final agreement “very close”
Concerning the Sudanese peace talks taking place in Kenya he said: “Honourable members, the National Assembly has been following developments at the peace talks through the various phases. The talks have progressed a lot and the stage of signing the final and comprehensive agreement is very close. This comes as a result of the sincere efforts which are being exerted by the first vice-president of the republic and the people’s movement (SPLM) in Naivasha (Kenya). Months of patience and determination, which are still continuing, have resulted in a number of agreements, the latest of them the signing of the agreement on sharing of resources. This has opened up a new opportunity and another horizon and broadened the field of interaction, putting an end to a war which has lasted for almost a quarter of a century, during which many men perished.
“We aspire to achieving a just peace which will be protected by all, and thereby realize a national accord. We hope to achieve effective participation by members of society and all political organizations, be they in the government or outside the government, in accordance with a constitutional system which is acceptable to and in line with the aspirations of all the people of one homeland.
“Whatever the obstacles or hindrances in the negotiations, the determination is there to overcome them with calmness and confidence. We will pursue the process to the end. We are committed to what was stipulated in the framework of the Machakos Protocol and we will adhere to the principles and do whatever is necessary to realize peace by exploiting all potentials.
“The government has presented its proposals concerning the three regions and the issue of power sharing. It is now ready to study any reconciliatory proposals, without any negligence or slackness, in a manner which will safeguard the rights of all, and to this end, justice and endorsement will be the key and guarantee for implementation.
“The National Assembly will receive a briefing statement on the progress of the peace talks and what has been agreed upon till now, God willing.”
Darfur conflict
Concerning the conflict in Darfur, western Sudan, he said: “From the time the government declared an end to major military operations in Darfur and the declaration of an amnesty, Darfur has started to enjoy security and stability. Many of those displaced, who had fled their homes in search of peace, have started returning to their relatives and homes. The government has opened corridors for delivering humanitarian aid to the victims in their villages and even their camps, through national and international organizations.”
Attempted coup issue “in the hands of the judiciary”
On the issue of the attempted coup, President Al-Beshir said: “While we are exerting efforts to solve the conflict in Darfur, a faction objected and wanted to revive the fighting in Darfur. They have been planning for a long time and we were monitoring their attempts to disrupt security and their military scheme aimed at targeting and destroying major establishments. The faction tried to ignite discord, an issue which made us take a decisive stand and their plans were disclosed. The issue is now in the hands of the judiciary, which is going to deal with it to the end. The National Assembly will be briefed on this incident in the course of this week.”